Rural Routes, Blog Version

For years, my computer was bookmarked to the weather site for my home community. Checking the weather was part of my morning ritual.

I still check the weather every morning, although whether it rains or shines has little impact on our livelihood these days.

Even after leaving the farm, I would go to the bookmarked site and then move on to Winnipeg’s forecast.

But something happened this summer. I started skipping the bookmark. After four years, I am ready to give it up.

Old habits die hard, I guess.

Or else, I am just a slow learner.

Royal Funeral

Like many others, I had never until recently lived in a Canada where we did not sing God Save the Queen. It gave me a start the other day when I read “Court of King’s Bench” in a newspaper story.

I did not get up in the dark to watch Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral service, but I did turn on the TV as soon as I came downstairs and I watched as the coffin made its long and slow way to King George V1 Memorial Chapel for committal. Then, once the committal service was over, I streamed the funeral service.

I was mesmerized by the steady thud-thud-thud of feet marching in perfect time.

I remembered field days of the past when each school marched as a unit and the two leaders carried the school’s banner.

Our teacher marched alongside us, saying, “Left…left…left, right, left …”

I also remember marching with our local 4-H club, although in my memories it was much less regimented than it was in school.

No group I marched with ever approached the precision I saw and heard while watching the Queen’s funeral coverage.

At the end of the committal service, a lone bagpiper played Lament, then turned and walked away, eventually disappearing as the music slowly faded. The image stayed with me for the rest of the day.

Raccoon

We saw our raccoon one more time. As before, it was in the flower bed, ambled out to the nearest tree and disappeared in the branches.

We were not the only residents to report a raccoon sighting this fall and the condominium corporation was concerned that a raccoon denning in condominium buildings could do serious damage. True enough.

I was told that Epsom salts would deter raccoons. I was also told that ammonia would do the same thing. I opted for Epsom salts and sprinkled granules in the flower bed and around the raccoon’s tree of choice. (Bonus: Epsom salts are also supposed to be good fertilizer.)

I don’t know if the Epsom salts did any good or not, but we have not seen the animal since.

Something new every day

We learn something new every day, but some things stick out more than others.

For example, I learned for the first time that a baby porcupine is called a porcupette. I discovered that fact while doing a word search in which all the hidden words were the names for baby animals. Calf for cow, foal for horse.

After living on a farm out in the country for most of my life, I thought I knew all I needed to know about porcupines. More accurately perhaps, I knew all I needed to know about getting porcupine quills out of a dog’s nose.

But I did not know there was a special name for their babies. I certainly did not know what that name was.

Now I shall never forget it.

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